LABEOC Update – 8 May 2020
As of 12:00pm (noon) today there were 30,855 COVID-19 cases reporting in the state of Louisiana with 1,359 patients in hospitals (185 require ventilator). There have been 2,154 reported deaths. All Louisiana data is available at www.ldh.la.gov/coronavirus.
Louisiana COVID-19 response strategic imperatives:Prevent spread of the virus, surge testing capacity, and surge contact tracing capability.
NTIC Cyber Alert. Please see the attachment for information from NTIC Cyber Alert reference Snake Ransomware Targeting Enterprise Networks.
OPEN BIDS. The following bids are open on the LaPAC website.
- GOHSEP-RFQ-21, Nitrile Gloves and Disinfecting Wipes, closes on 11 May 2020 at 11AM CST
- LDH-RFQ-11, Medical Supplies, Quotes are due by 11:00 AM CST on 5/11/2020
Hurricane Preparedness Week, 3-9 May. Get ready for hurricane season. Share tips, info and new graphics online during #HurricanePrep week, May 3-9. https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes (National) and http://www.getagameplan.org/ (Louisiana).
BIO B2B Hub. The Biotechnology Innovation Organization(BIO) wants to ensure critical research and development programs can continue. To accomplish this, BIO created the Coronavirus Hub to connect companies with capacity and resources with those that need them. This hub enables users to post requests for urgently needed items and announce the availability of supplies and capacity. The portal connects in real-time through customized and searchable postings.Click here to go to the Coronavirus Hub to connect companies with capacity and resources.
When the federal government relaunched its small business aid program April 27 with an additional $310 billion, lenders and business advocates warned the money would dry up within a few days, The Wall Street Journal reports. However, more than 40% of the money remains available. Several factors appear to be behind cooling demand, including the Treasury Department’s decision following an uproar to exclude public companies and others that could obtain funding elsewhere.
The New York Times today released a chart that shows state-by-state where federal small business loans have been disbursed. See it here.
COVID-19 AND LOCAL BUSINESS SUPPORT. LABEOC partner, US Ignite, will present an online discussion with experts supporting local and small businesses during the COVID-19 crisis. This virtual event from the Smart Gigabit Communities team is part of a series that gives participants a chance to hear directly from experts, and to discover critical technology, organizational, and funding resources for dealing with the effects of the pandemic. Register here: Join us on Zoom – When: Thursday, May 14th @ 3:00 pm Eastern
Pressure is mounting, but restarting the Louisiana economy won’t be easy. There’s no way to flip a switch and get the engines roaring again when the entire system has been short-circuited by a pandemic. As business and political leaders begin to reopen various sectors of the economy, there are more questions than answers. https://www.businessreport.com/newsletters/pressure-is-mounting-but-restarting-the-louisiana-economy-wont-be-easy
Businesses looking for a quick return to normal are running into a big hitch: Workers on unemployment benefits are reluctant to give them up. That’s complicating plans to reopen states and get the U.S. economy back on track. For some workers, unemployment benefits are paying more than their old jobs did, The Wall Street Journal reports. For others, safety concerns or a lack of child care, as most schools and day care centers remain closed, are making them hesitant to go back.
The U.S. unemployment rate hit 14.7% in April, the highest rate since the Great Depression, as 20.5 million jobs vanished in the worst monthly loss on record. The losses, reported by the Labor Department on Friday, reflect what has become a severe recession caused by sudden business shutdowns in nearly every industry. Nearly all the job growth achieved during the 11-year recovery from the Great Recession has now been lost in one month.
‘Double Whammy’: Oil Crash Adds to Virus Budget Woes in Some States. As the drastic economic downturn driven by the coronavirus stresses state budgets, those with sizable gas and oil industries are dealing with the added pressure of the recent oil price crash. https://www.routefifty.com/finance/2020/05/oil-states-budget-coronavirus-tax-revenue-cuts-alaska/165241/
Resilient Louisiana Commission. For information on Commission and Task Force meetings, meeting minutes, and more visit: https://www.opportunitylouisiana.com/resilientlouisiana
As always THANK YOU for your TREMENDOUS support of Louisiana. The LABEOC team wishes you all a great Mother’s Day weekend and looks forward to seeing everyone back on Monday.
Chris J. DeGuelle
LABEOC Director
The LA BEOC is designed and developed by the NIMSAT Institute under the Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP)
